BEIJING, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China has always supported the improvement of relations between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as their reconciliation and cooperation.

In a telephone conversation with his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, Xi said China supports the two sides in promoting inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges to gradually advance the settlement of the Korean Peninsula issue.